When we think of early literacy activities, we often picture story times, singing the alphabet, or pointing out letters. But did you know that foundational reading skills are also developed through balance exercises such as yoga, walking on a balance beam, dancing and hopping? These types of activities challenge the brain to process multiple types of sensory input simultaneously: visual, auditory, and proprioceptive (the sense of body position). Play-based activities involving balance help children develop focus, stabilize their bodies, and refine their hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness – all essential building blocks for reading and writing.
Storybook SCCLD, our early literacy-inspired play spaces, offer many opportunities for children to develop and practice their balance skills.
How Balance Supports Literacy
Visual-Motor Skills
Games involving balance such as tossing and catching help children develop hand-eye coordination, connecting what they see visually to their physical movements. Developing these skills are important for tasks like holding a pencil, turning pages, and writing letters.
Focus and Attention
Balance challenges such as standing on one foot, walking along a line, or mastering a balance beam require a high level of concentration and persistence to complete. By helping to strengthen focus, attention span and perseverance, this form of play contributes to foundational skills for literacy and learning.
Crossing the Midline
Crossing the midline is the ability to move a body part, such as an arm or leg, to the opposite side of the body. Activities such as yoga and dancing, which involve crossing the body's imaginary midline, contribute to literacy development by strengthening a child's ability to reach across their body and track with their eyes which pave the way for reading and writing.
Spatial Awareness and Directionality
Activities such as hopping side-to-side, crab-walking, and navigating obstacle courses help children enhance their spatial awareness and understanding of directionality (left and right, up and down). These concepts are crucial for learning to read text across a page and recognizing letters in a sequence.
Simple Activities to Help Develop Balance 
- Heel-to-Toe Walking: Create or use an existing line on the floor for children to walk along.
- Freeze dance: Have children dance to music until it stops, then "freeze" into a pose.
- Animal walks: Encourage children to waddle like a penguin, tiptoe like a mouse, or crab walk sideways.
- Yoga: Try simple yoga poses found in children's books or videos.
- Story Pairings: Read books that encourage balance and act them out, for example “Pretend you’re a bird in Owl Babies balancing on a log!”
All Storybook SCCLD play spaces were designed with themed balance elements for children to enjoy. By incorporating balance into play, children strengthen their bodies and minds, developing foundational skills necessary for reading and writing.
Children's books featuring themes and activities related to balance.
